The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-03-02
A Story to Interest the Boys.

in his voice.
Yes, every day."
&c But what is the use? They keep on
falling, and make just as big litter as
before"
Your room has to be set in order
every day." said his mother, smiling.
C wouldn't care much if it wasn't"
said Phil.
And your shirts have to be washed
every week And the dishes you eat
off have to be washed three times a
day. You keep on eating, you know!"
Phil could not forbear smile, as he
slowly raked away at the leaves. He
might easily have gathered them in ten
minutes, leaving in good order the lit
nicely kept; but he usually dawdled
over them for half an hour.
Seems to me / have to do great
deal of work for other folks" he went
on, mournfully. have to pile wood,
and cut kinding, and drive the COW,
and water the flowers-and things"
60 Do you have more to do for others
than others do for your" asked his
mother.
Yes, mamma; guess so. Anyway,
if | could stop doing things for folks,
they might stop doing things for me-"
"Do you really mean that?"
eyes, indeed" said Phil, eagerly.
&c May try it, mamma?'
If you like you may try it for one
day."
''One day! OH want to try it for
a week. And if it works well, can l
keep it up?"
eyes"
Remember, then, mamma, nobodv's
to ask me to do single thing, and I'll
remember my part. Hurrah!" Phil
dropped the rake over the small pile of
leaves and rushed away to look at his
fish-line; for he had made up his mind
to 60 fishing in the afternoon, and have
pleasant time, now that none of the
chores were to be thought of.
Running hastily to the barn, he fell
and tore hole in his trousers.
/" Mammal he cried, picking him
self up and going toward the house.
But he suddenly remembered that
mamma was not to be called upon. He
ran up stairs to change the garment.
"Ah! two buttons off my other
pants, and / forgot to tell about it.
Never mind. can sew them on my
self. often have. It's easy enough
to sew on buttons"
1t had been, when mamma gave him
the needle and thread. But now, as he
took fine needle and a coarse thread,
he wondered why it had never seemed
so hard before. 1t took him long
time to thread the needle, and then
every stitch was a separate trial. He
tugged away, got hot and furried, and
pricked his finger time and again.
AT last he felt sure the button was
sewed on tight. But, as he sprang up
toput on'the trousers, he found that they
were sewed to the skirt of the coat he
had on. With tears halfway to his
eyes he took out his knife and cut the
stitches. No one was waiting to see if
his neck-tie was neatly tied or to hand
him his books. The school-bell was
ringing, and he rushed away with the
torn trousers on.
But he was too late, to his great re-
greet; for he had begun school with a
resolve not to have one tardy mark
during the year.
The tear in his trousers kept catch
ing in things and tearing larger, until
he was very much ashamed of it, and
glad, at length, to hurry home. AS he
again sewed on the button, he could
not help wondering if mending ones
own clothes were not little harder
than cutting kindling
"Never mind" he said to himself
Nobody will ask me to do anything
after dinner; and can do just what
please all day, when get out of school,
He went to the dinner-table with 6
boys appetite.
" Where's my plate?" he asked, see.
ing no place ready for him.
Have you forgotten our agree.
ment?" asked his mother.
Why, no, mamma! l said nobody
need do anything for me. am going
to wash my own dishes when Pm done.
"But do you expect any one to cook
for your"
Phil stared at her for moment, theI
gave a rather blank look at the roas
beef and sweet potatoes. But he wa
not ready to give up.
" | did forget, that's fact" he said
with laugh, as he turned and went out
But there was little spirit in the
laugh, and mamma looked after hin
with sober face.
/" / can't see him miss his dinner,
she said.
But his father said: "Let him lear
his lesson well. 1t will not hurt him.
Phil went to the orchard and at
apples, not troubling himself to thin
whether anybody had raised them TO
him, and rejoicing in the reflection tina
when picking time came he would NJ
have any part of that work to do.
He went fishing, and on his wa
home had the satisfaction of sitting o
the fence to watch his brother BE
drive the cows home. Ben hailed hin
"The Pratts have come to tea"
"That's jolly!" shouted Phil, sprinl
ing from the fence and running home
leaving Ben to plod along with the Gov
He hurried to mis- room. The bed W;
not made; and everything he hs
touched that day lay where he had lie
it, which did not trouble him.
Hello, no water!' he exclaimed,
his empty pitcher flew up in his han
But, bethinking himself, he ran for h
own water.
"Now for clean collar!" But h
face fell as he saw none in his drawe
1t was plain that they had not come
from the wash, and he would not a
for one. What did he want of cola
anyway, when no one would expect